The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) is a British Army Regiment with a long and distinguished history. It startied life in 1753 as the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot.

In 1881 it became the KSLI Regiment. Its traditions are currently held by The Rifles, an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five Regular and two Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions.

The Regimental Museum was established in 1985 and houses the spectacular collections of the Shropshire Regimental Museum Trust including pictures, uniforms, medals, silverware, weapons and other artefacts from the 18th Century to the present day.

When Napoleon Bonaparte surrendered after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and went into exile on the island of St Helena, soldiers from the 53rd Foot were sent to guard him. Among the treasures in the Museum is a locket containing a lock of the emperor's hair presented to an officer of the 53rd.

The British Army's Light Infantry has been associated with Shrewsbury since the 18th century when the first regiments were formed, and many more regiments have been raised at Shrewsbury before being deployed all over the world from the American Revolutionary War to the modern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The museum also has a Modern Army display (including information on The Rifles), items from the collections of the Lords Lieutenant of Shropshire and a history of the Castle itself.

Opening Times

AS the Regimental Museum is in Shrewsbury Castle, its opening hours are dependent upon the Castle’s somewhat variable opening hours.

The Castle is closed during the winter period from December 18th to February 20th to allow for essential maintenance work.

For visitors coming from a long distance, it is advisable to call Tel: +44 (0)1743 358516 for up-to-date information.